Teachers experience difficulty with old technology

“I give up!”

In the middle of watching an educational video, science teacher Lael Lynch’s eight-year-old computer began to update, causing the lesson for that class to completely cease.

“I have a massive amount of stress,” Mrs. Lynch said.

Over the next few weeks, Mrs. Lynch will no longer have to worry about her technologically induced stress. The Springdale School District is issuing new laptops for all the teachers within the district.

These new laptops will give teachers a long-needed upgrade. Receiving new computers is supposed to be on a five-year rotating cycle, but the schools budget doesn’t always allow for it.

Director of Technology for Springdale Public Schools Paul Miller describes the process of replacing the computers as “not an exact science.”

Some of the computers that will soon be replaced are as old as the school itself. According to Brittany Thompson, a member of the technology team, some of the computers that are still in use are from 2005. English teacher Cassie Loyd, a Har-Ber teacher of two years, has already experienced computer difficulties.

“My first computer crashed in November, and I’ve had a loner ever since,” Mrs. Loyd said.

When her computer crashed she lost everything that was saved directly onto her computer. Including her resume and even letters of recommendations for some of her students. She had to rush to get a laptop to be able to teach her students.

“I was stunned when I saw how old it was,” English teacher Jenny Horne, a first year teacher at Har-Ber, said.

Mrs. Horne is a teacher who has to float from classroom to classroom, and she hopes that the new computers will be more portable. Her current computer is 10 years old and there is constant lag time for the students due to a remarkably slow computer.

The teachers remain hopeful for a smooth and stress-free transition that would allow their classroom to be run smoother and for a decrease in disturbances during lessons.